Belgian Tripel???

Homebrew Talk - Beer, Wine, Mead, & Cider Brewing Discussion Forum

Help Support Homebrew Talk - Beer, Wine, Mead, & Cider Brewing Discussion Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

Vman

Well-Known Member
Joined
Feb 12, 2013
Messages
93
Reaction score
7
Location
Ottawa
Hi. I am new here, please be gentle. I have been brewing for a while, but extract is new to me. With two kids, I don't have time to do full mashes anymore and I want stuff that kits don't offer... so. ... here I am.

I bought this kit (I did a bitly because I don't want to be advertising any one company) http://bit.ly/12tzJII . I am not worried about the company, friends order from them all the time. BUT!! Does the ingredient list seem a little bare to anybody else?? It looks like they are relying on the yeast to do a lot of the work with regards to the flavour profile. I was thinking about switching the corn sugar out for hard Belgian Candy and adding some orange extract to the secondary. Maybe I should steep some grains... I am at a loss... any ideas??? I really want to have a solid keg of this come the spring/summer.

Thanks.

V
 
No I wouldn't add anything. That's about right for a Belgian Tripel. Like you said, the yeast is star of this beer. Which is why yeast selection is SO important with this style. I wouldn't use a dry yeast for this if you can get liquid yeast. Go with an Abbey ale yeast like WLP500 or 530 or the wyeast equivalent and make a properly sized starter (http://www.mrmalty.com/calc/calc.html). I've never used T-58 but I've heard it lacks some of the flavor that is very important for this style. Some call it sacrilege to add spices to a Tripel, but I say it's your beer and you can do what you want with it. And maybe adding a little orange peel and/or coriander would help with the flavor if you're using the T-58.

Doing an extract Tripel is going to be challenging though. Extract usaully has a high level of unfermentable sugar in it so it will be hard to get the final gravity down to where it needs to be (which is pretty low). You should start fermenting in the mid to high 60's (F) and start ramping up the temp a degree or two each day as fermentation starts to slow until you get in the mid 70's or so. This will help the yeast fully attenuate. Also I would replace a pound of the extract with another pound of corn sugar to help make sure it finishes dry enough.
 
You are a gentlemen and a scholar! Thank-you for taking the time.

V
 
Um... I don't know if you want to use any steeping grains or not (you said you didn't want to mash currently) but I agree with your first assessment that it seems a bit threadbare. In my (admittedly beginner) opinion this isn't going to yield anything remotely approaching a trappist ale. But I guess it depends on what your expectations are.

I think your first inclination is spot-on: corn sugar is not a particularly good substitute for candi sugar. Some people make their own by inverting table sugar, but you're looking for some of the carmelization as well to impart flavors. Get some candi syrup (D-45 or D-90).

In regard to the yeast, I think getting a liquid WPL 500 would certainly get you closer to the beer you are trying to imitate, but I don't think its as important as adding some specialty grains, with respect to your finished product being something you can identify as that specific style.

When you pick up that syrup at your LHBS, look for some of these grains for steeping: Caramunich, Special B, Belgian Aromatic mainly. Some people even add a little chocolate malt. There is some disagreement about wheat malt as well. But the first three should definitely yield dividends.
 
Trippels should be clean and yeasty. Flavor comes from good fermentation, liquid yeast is strongly recommended. Corn sugar will dry it out nicely. Now I am wanting to brew a Trippel, adding it to my future brew list!

If you want to add orange flavor, you can always add an orange twist when pouring.
 
I think what I'm going to do is get a liquid yeast and make it as is. If it's not what I expect, I will try again down the road and add 2 pounds of hard Belgian candy and 500 grams of Carmel malts for steeping. But, here's to hoping ...

V
 
I think you are on the right track. Looking at Brew Like A Monk, Pils and Sugar are the constants. A few of the surveyed recipes call for Munich or Wheat, but Special B and candi syrup would be more at home in a dubble.
 
Question to those more experienced than I??? This brew (which tastes fantastic by the way) spent three weeks in primary and has been in secondary for the better part of a week now. Could I transfer it to an empty keg and let it sit in there? I'm thinking about leaving it for another month or so. I only ask, because I'd like the carboy to start a quick and dirty Blonde Ale.

Thanks....
 
are you just clearing it in the secondary? I see no reason why you couldn't move it to a keg. btw www.candisyrup.com has a page on pitching yeast for belgians. (hint: under pitch and raise temps which is pretty much a WTF for all other brewing)

I assume it is just about at FG
 
Yeah... it went into secondary to get it off the yeast. After 3 weeks it was pretty much there (as far as fermentation goes) I just want to make sure it's not too early to trap C02 in the beer... the keg won't vent.
 
Yeah that would be fine. You could have just gone straight from the primary to the keg and used the keg as a secondary. You just need to be careful with oxidation and sanitation if you are going to add another transfer in there.
 
Thanks... sanitation isn't really an issue. I am nitpicky when it comes to that. And as for oxidation ... meh ... but I want that carboy back to get this blonde a-going. So... THANKS everyone!!!
 
Pay attention! The Blonde isn't going I the keg, the Belgian is!! And I don't expect a fight from her. :D

V
 
Back
Top